A Simpler Life 2018

GreyQueen

dND wrote: »

Does anyone else remember being taught how to clean hankies in Domestic Science lessons?

I would imagine there are more than a couple of generations now that don't know how to properly clean them and just chuck them in a 30C wash. :eek:

My mother has a large aluminium pan which is exclusively reserved for boiling hankies, with a small amount of detergent. Too much of the latter and it overflows onto the stovetop like a volcano. Boil, through rinse, line dry and a good iron - lovely!

maryb

I remember a lot of houses in my childhood had Baby Burcos for boiling whites, nappies, teatowels, hankies, flannels also sheets and towels if anyone in the house was ill.

I suppose in the days before antibiotics, absolutely rigid attention to hygiene was one of the few ways of protecting against infections. An electric Baby Burco was a lot less work than a stove top boiler. And a mangle that fixed on the edge of the sink rather than the big mangle in the yard was also considered a big improvement

I think they used to grate a bit of Sunlight soap or Fairy block soap into the water and add a spoonful of washing soda. I think the things must have come out a bit dingy because everyone used to swish a blue block through the rinsing water.

Primrose

maryb wrote: »

I think the things must have come out a bit dingy because everyone used to swish a blue block through the rinsing water.

I manage the same effect without the swish of blue block when a couple of pairs of my husband's black socks accidentally get mixed in with all the whites in my washing machine!

GreyQueen

Oh, I remember the blue block, there was still one kicking around the cleaning cupboard when I was a child in the early seventies. Reckitt's Blue, if memory serves? I can recall once having it dabbed on a wasp sting, allegedly to relieve the pain, but can't recall if it worked or not.

Well, with aussie flu in most areas of the country, including mine, stringent attention to hygiene is not bad thing, imo. I have a slightly weak immune system, due to a pre-existing medical condition and the treatment thereof, so am always a bit wary around this season and have stocked up on OS comforts like vicks etc.

A good trick worth remembering is to be wary of going out in very cold weather. My family are on tenterhooks as a relation in her late seventies, normally hale, had a bit of a funy turn whilst out hiking in the cold today, and is in A & E, I'm waiting for a phone call. You can have a bad go-round by being out in exceptionally cold weather if unaccustomed to it, so be careful, all you lovely peeps.

Sayschezza

Mary B quite the reverse. Boiled whites in the Baby Burco came out whiter than whites from an automatic. Wish I still had one as although I am ok with my white washing it’s not the same white although I can’t explain the difference. Sunglasses had to be worn.��

maryb

Must have been my mother then - she was never the world's most houseproud.:rotfl:

She was unlucky in that she went to a grammar school in the 1920s/30s where they were actively discouraged from domesticity. She was 21 when war broke out and had never learned to cook. Then of course with rationing it was very difficult if you had to learn from scratch when you simply could not afford to waste anything.

That sort of thing takes a long time to work its way out. I remember when I was little, eggs were considered too expensive to allow me to experiment with cooking with. In fact I still think of eggs as being an extravagant ingredient

maryb

I wonder if the blue block had vinegar in it - which of course is quite a good fabric conditioner and neutralises any left over soap. Because you should use vinegar for a wasp sting and bicarbonate for a bee sting.

(Winegar for wasps)

dND

GreyQueen wrote: »

My mother has a large aluminium pan which is exclusively reserved for boiling hankies, with a small amount of detergent. Too much of the latter and it overflows onto the stovetop like a volcano. Boil, through rinse, line dry and a good iron - lovely!

I have memories of boiling in a saline solution to remove the mucus; then the good old soap and very hot water - the old twin tubs were good for this too

maryb wrote: »

I remember a lot of houses in my childhood had Baby Burcos for boiling whites, nappies, teatowels, hankies, flannels also sheets and towels if anyone in the house was ill.

I suppose in the days before antibiotics, absolutely rigid attention to hygiene was one of the few ways of protecting against infections. An electric Baby Burco was a lot less work than a stove top boiler. And a mangle that fixed on the edge of the sink rather than the big mangle in the yard was also considered a big improvement

I think they used to grate a bit of Sunlight soap or Fairy block soap into the water and add a spoonful of washing soda. I think the things must have come out a bit dingy because everyone used to swish a blue block through the rinsing water.

Don't forget that today an awful lot of optical brightener is added to commercial detergent. In simple terms, reducing the residual soap -or using much less than the 'recommended' and a bit of bicarb in the wash should do the same. I also think that the polyester in the mix these days has a tendency to yellow and certainly can't be returned to bright white with a drop of bleach.

With the spectre of antibiotic-resistant viruses upon us, I think it's time basic hygiene is taught again rather than relying on an advert that says with a quick spray, 99% of all germs are eliminated :eek:
Time to get off my soapbox and get back to decluttering :rotfl:

jackieblack

dND wrote: »

With the spectre of antibiotic-resistant viruses upon us,

Erm... All viruses are antibiotic-resistant, antibiotics only work for bacterial infections. Anti-virals are used for viruses (under certain circumstances)

Wednesday2000

I'm watching a YouTube video with a woman called More Melody and she is talking about minimalism and organisation tips/ lifehacks.

Interesting. I keep getting up and going to rearrange/tidy up stuff on her advice.:rotfl: I have cleaned my bathroom, wiped down all my mirrors and organised my fridge and my pots and pans cupboard while watching her.